During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men.

1. Wikipedia:Movember. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movember

I asked Julian, on of our hour building students if he wanted to join me on the flight. He didn’t hesitate for long before saying “yes”.

Julian had a brand new passport, his first and was keen to explore the world. I had flown the route a few times but it was fascinating and a pleasure to fly with someone who was so excited about this new adventure. Julian scratched in our cupboards and found charts for the route, checked aircraft documents, loaded additional oil, 6 jerry cans and our bags.

We lifted from Wonderboom at 10:00 for Polokwane International. With 30 miles to go, Julian made contact with the Polokwane tower and was given an inbound clearance. He was also informed that their airspace was IMC with less than 1 Km visibility. A Jet Ranger was also on their way to Polokwane International and reported that he had slowed to 30 Kts because of limited visibility. We were still in clear skies….

Not much later, we slowed down to 80 Kts but could see 3 Km and continued onto final approach 05 and landed at the fuel bay. We filled the tanks and jerry cans, filled in the Gen Dec, Health Dec and Julian’s passport was given its first stamp. A long walk up to the air traffic control tower to meet the controller and fill in a flight plan. The weather from up there looked good in the direction we were going so we went back to the machine, did a pre-flight check and called for start up clearance.

A few minutes after take off, we were under blue skies again, heading for Beira. We maintained about 1000 feet above ground level (AGL). This allowed us to take advantage of the 10 Kt tail wind. We maintained over 100 Kts ground speed and soon passed over the South African boarder – Julian’s first.

After two and a half hours it was time to find a place to stop and transfer fuel from the jerry cans to the tanks. 60 litres later and we were back on our way. 20 miles from Beira and we decided to add another 20 litres to the tank. We were cleared to join on a right base for runway 21. Julian confessed that he didn’t understand a word of what was said in the transmission. I told him not to worry; by the end of the trip he will be up to speed.

We landed in front of the control tower and the fuel truck came to fill us up. The fuel guys were very friendly and 15 minutes later we were in the apron office filling in paper work. We had to walk to the other end of the terminal building for more payments and stamps before returning to the apron office for final stamps. The fuel guys recommended a hotel so we went to the parking area to summons a taxi. We climbed into the back seat of a dilapidated Toyota that was only just in working condition. The seats were torn, most gauges didn’t work, and I don’t think it was fitted with shock absorbers but it had a sound system to die for. Well, it was loud, very loud, and the driver had to shout to communicate on his cell phone. The condition of the roads were, well, Mozambique. Julian was absolutely blown away by just everything. He confessed that he had never been so far out of his comfort zone and loved every minute.

The hotel was clean and comfortable with a TV that had very limited channels and was not tuned properly. We elected to have bird for supper. It could have been chicken, as listed on the menu, but could also have been sea gull or crow. It tasted fine.

Day two started with an unappetising breakfast and a bumpy taxi ride to the airport. I dictated what was to be written on the flight plan and Julian wrote and submitted it and after a pre-flight, we called for clearance to start for Nampula. A light breeze was in our favour and the turquoise ocean was of huge fascination to my pilot. He was sucking up every minute and still loving it. There were a few rain patches but nothing severe…. Until later. We entered a rain storm that brought our visibility down and down until I took the controls and reduced our speed to 60 knots. Julian asked at which point do we stop and land. I had started to look for a landing zone in the think growth when visibility started to improve. A minute later we were clear of rain.

Nampula cleared us to land and we went through the fees process and flight plan for Pemba. Julian was now getting the hang of the process and was finding me less and less of an asset when he needed information. I went and bought us a few cokes and biscuits and waited for the paper work to be completed. Soon we were calling for start up clearance and on our way for a 90 minute flight to Pemba International Airport.

The airport is on a hill over looking the sea on one side and a lagoon on the other. We asked for clearance to pass over the air field so we could see the seaward side which was quite spectacular. We refuelled and Julian did the paper work. We then found a taxi to take us to a hotel. The driver muttered the price of the trip in Portuguese. This equated to 6 Dollars. By the time we arrived at the hotel his price was at 20 Dollars which I refused to pay. We eventually agreed on 10. Julian found the hotel room to be “quiet nice”, at 280 Dollars I should hope so. Since we had only flown for five and a half hours, we had plenty daylight hours to wander around and have an early supper…..chicken? It went down well.

We had a good breakfast and were at the airport a few minutes after our planned 0700. The emigration official assured us he would be at work at 0700, his normal starting time. He wasn’t. By 0800 he was still not in sight. The woman at the apron office gave us “permission” to go on our international flight without customs or immigration clearances. We accepted and left for Dar es Salaam. Again, favourable winds, clear ocean, green vegetation and “small” mountains were the en route scenery.

Twenty miles from Dar Es Salaam Julian made contact with the control tower and we were cleared to join on a left down wind for runway 23. We were building an awareness of where the other aircraft were in the airspace. There were two. One was a PC12. He had lost sight of the aircraft in front of him and asked the controller for information. The controller told him to keep a good look out for the PC12, to which the irate American pilot replied, “I AM THE PC12”, and initiated a go around. Had he not, he would have landed on top of the other aircraft. The two airplane pilots communicated direct with each other until the danger subsided. We were cleared to land after the PC12 and went straight to the fuel bay. Julian went off to do the paper work. He now had this process well under control. I fuelled up. The fuel attendant refused to fill our jerry cans; this was not in their procedures. I informed him that we don’t have any jerry cans, only auxiliary fuel tanks. After a few minutes of confusion, he filled our three “auxiliary fuel tanks” lined up on the tarmac, and when we were done, it was time to call the tower and go. We had already flown four hours with another four to go. A short time along the coast and then over green vegistration that slowly changed to brown and dry. We also started to see an increase in our altitude, soon passing 3000 feet and onwards. Boredom took over and we started betting on how far from Mount Kilimanjaro we would be before we saw Africa’s highest mountain. At 19000 feet, we should have seen it from 50 miles or so. 20 miles prior to our bumping into it, we spotted it. Covered in cloud, vegetation and a bit of smoke from a few large fires. Kilimanjaro International tower cleared us to pass east of the airport and to maintain 4000 feet. We were running late to meet Mark so we had to cut the corner a bit and climb to 6000 feet. Just before the Kenyan boarder we landed for a quick fuel transfer and on to Wilson International Airport. We were under the control of Jomo International until within one mile of Wilson. We were handed over and cleared to land in front of the tower. Mark was there in front of the helicopter clad in a luminous orange jacket to meet us with his big smile and warm handshake.

We had made it

In January this year we moved into our half of a new 2400 square meter hangar.  The size and atmosphere that has been created has already shown positive results.

We would like to thank all our clients for their support and our crew for their commitment which has brought us to this level of success.

I flew to Mussina one afternoon in October 2004, and arrived at 1630. On my arrival I was introduced to people who were to be on the ground team, including a camera crew. To my surprise the person leading the movie crew was Steve Irwin, the crocodile expert from down under.

I never missed his programs on TV so I was blown away to be on a team with him. The enthusiasm he shows on his wild life adventures is how he was in real life. I went out with the team that night to watch them dart and work on a lion. It was an education for me. Since we don’t normally dart them from the helicopter I haven’t seen the process before. It was also an absolute pleasure to watch Steve doing his commentary, unrehearsed.

That night it was drinks and jokes until time to go to bed.

In the morning, a surprise, Steve was spotlessly clean with clothes that looked freshly pressed. That fresh look lasted for half an hour. As is known, he has no fear of getting into the dirt and mud. The vet darted the elephant from the helicopter and Steve was there as it went down under the influence of M99, a powerful drug used for tranquilising most wild life. The vet and Steve fitted the radio collar and the elephant was given 50/50, a drug used to reverse the effect of M99. Within a minute, she was up on her feet, wondering what happened.

I only spent about 24 hours with Steve and found him to be as he was on TV: A bundle of energy with a big heart and a huge passion for animals. It was a pleasure and privilege to work with him.

It was with a heavy heart that I heard he had died in what can only be described as a freak accident. I was booked to fly with him again in six weeks.

His passing is a huge loss to humanity and a devastating loss to all wild life.

The company then owned only one Robinson R22 Beta II helicopter on which pilot training was conducted by the only instructor. Currently Powered Flight owns 4 Robinson R22’s and 2 Robinson R44’s.

We rate the successful growth of the company by the effort and spirit of our dedicated, hard working team of now 10 staff members.

I first started dreaming about flying  a helicopter about 3 years ago. Wondering if I could. Thinking I am too old, thinking of the arthritis in my hands. I had polio as a child and I cannot run, cannot climb stairs without assistance, cannot walk far distances, but could I fly? My family encouraged me to try. I started visiting websites, and was told yes, I can try—but I must first pass a medical test, then do a test flight to see if I could manage the pedals with my feet ( they sort of work different than most), and then apply for a medical certificate from the  SACAA. I met dr. Kotze and he did not laugh when I told him about my dream. Instead he made me take extra tests that he expected the SACAA will insist on, and changed my blood pressure medicine. (remember I am  a granny!) Then I had to find a flight school that would test me. That was not easy. One flight instructor from a different school, refused even to let me sit in his helicopter on the ground! Dr. Kotze phoned him, and explained that I can drive a car and live a normal life, but he refused. Then on advice from the doctor I phoned Powered Flight and spoke to Martin.

This is where the PASSION AND DEDICATION that is mentioned on their webpage surfaced—Martin said he would test me and he assured me that if I pass my medical he would teach me to fly.  I will never forget that first flight! We saw that the pedals would not be a problem, and as the hand controls need only a light touch , the arthritis made no difference.  Martin told me from the very beginning that I would have to work very ,very hard, that it would take me longer  to learn to fly,(because I am so old see!) but he assured me that as long as I keep trying, he will teach me.  So during January 2009 I became a student again, part of a new family.  The going was tough, but the DEDICATION AND PATIENCE of Martin and later Anton never failed.

They kept repeating lessons until I understood and could execute them. I saw young students come and go and I was so envious when  each one of them went solo and then passed their PPL, but even they asked about my progress and gave me tips and encouraged me.  And then Anton started mentioning solo, and the dream caught a new spark, and we practiced and practiced and Anton was so patient even when he explained something and showed me how to do it and then I still got it wrong! Only someone with a PASSION for what he is doing would keep  on trying to teach me, and then the wonder—something clicked and everything fell into place and the time for my first solo flight arrived! I will never forget the 1st of September 2009 for as long as I live! First I had a lesson with Anton, and late that afternoon, after the wind died down, Martin took me for a test flight,( or maybe it was me taking him for a test flight?) and then he told me I may go for a solo flight!  Me?——I nearly refused, but after all that practice and their building my confidence, I had to go, I had to go LIVE THE DREAM!  And it was indescribable!!! I cannot run, I cannot walk far or fast, but thanks to Powered Flight, Martin and Anton, I can FLY! I am looking forward to the rest of my training with renewed enthusiasm! YOU CAN LIVE THE DREAM, I AM DOING IT!